Search canberratimes:

Search in:

Ivanovic eyes Hopman Cup win

Perth

Serb Ana Ivanovic has set her sights on breaking back into the world's top 10 next year, but first she wants to make amends at the Hopman Cup tennis event.

The former world No.1 joined forces with Novak Djokovic to reach the Hopman Cup final two years ago, but the pair had to forfeit after Ivanovic was struck down with a stomach strain on the eve of the decider.

Ivanovic will again link up with world No.1 Djokovic for the $1 million mixed-teams event, starting on Saturday, and she is desperate to go all the way.

"We were so close and it was a big disappointment the way it ended last time," Ivanovic said on Wednesday. "I felt so bad, and for Novak too, so I really hope this year we can put it together and go all the way."

Advertisement

Ivanovic is ranked 13th in the world after a consistent year in which she reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, the fourth round at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, and the third round of the French Open.

But she knows she has to start regularly beating the world's best players if she is to add to her 2008 French Open success.

"I definitely want to get back to top 10. That was my goal for this year and I was very close," Ivanovic said.

"So I hope I can break that next year and put myself in a position to get far in the big events.

"There were a few girls who dominated this year. I put myself in a position to play against the top players. I really couldn't make that break (of beating them), but that's a big goal for next year.

"I have to keep working hard and believing, and that's what it comes down to."

Serbia have been handed the top seeding for the 25th edition of the Hopman Cup, but they will face stiff competition from the US, who boast seven-times grand-slam winner Venus Williams and world No.14 John Isner.

No.8 seeds Australia will be represented by Bernard Tomic and 16-year-old Ashleigh Barty, who was called up after Casey Dellacqua failed to recover from a recent foot injury.

Ivanovic arrived in Perth last week, and said she found it tough training in 39.6-degree heat on Christmas Day.

"I was putting my head in an ice bucket," she said with a laugh.

And with temperatures of 41C forecast for the first two days of the tournament, Ivanovic was glad the $550 million Perth Arena had the option of closing the roof under the heat policy.